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Krauñcadvīpa-varṇana (Parvata-Varṣa-Nadī-Samudra-vibhāgaḥ)
Ancient-Geography (Purāṇic Cosmography) / Environmental Topography
Dans le cadre d’enseignement de Varāha à Pṛthivī, ce chapitre sert de leçon de cosmographie, montrant l’ordre de la Terre comme une forme d’équilibre. Rudra y décrit Krauñcadvīpa comme le quatrième continent, sa proportion par rapport à Kuśadvīpa et l’océan qui l’enserre. Il énumère sept montagnes principales, pareilles à des joyaux, avec leurs hauteurs relatives, comme éléments stabilisateurs du pays. Viennent ensuite les sept varṣas (régions) et sept grands fleuves, dotés de noms alternatifs ou descriptifs, puis la mention d’autres cours d’eau mineurs. La section s’achève en identifiant l’océan de ghṛta (beurre clarifié) entourant Krauñcadvīpa, soulignant le thème purāṇique d’un monde en couches, harmonieusement ordonné.
Verse 1
रुद्र उवाच । अथ क्रौञ्चं भवति चतुर्थं कुशद्वीपाद् द्विगुणमानतः समुद्रः क्रौञ्चेन द्विगुणेनावृतः । तस्मिंश्च सप्तैव प्रधानपर्वताः । प्रथमः कौञ्चो विद्युर्लतो रैवतो मानसः सैव पावकः । तथैवान्धकारः सैवाच्छोदकः । देवावृत्तो स च सुरापो भण्यते । ततो देविष्ठः स एव काञ्चनशृङ्गो भवति । देवनन्दात्परो गोविन्दः, द्विविन्द इति । ततः पुण्डरीकः सैव तोषाशयः । एते सप्त रत्नमयाः पर्वताः क्रौञ्चद्वीपे व्यवस्थिताः । सर्वे च परस्परेणोच्छ्रयाः । तत्र वर्षाणि तथा क्रौञ्चस्य कुशलो देशः सैव माधवः स्मृतः वामनस्य मनोऽनुगः सैव संवर्तकस्ततोऽष्णवान् सोमप्रकाशः । ततः पावकः सैव सुदर्शनः । तथा चान्धकारः सैव सम्मोहः । ततो मुनिदेशः स च प्रकाशः । ततो दुन्दुभिः सैवानर्थ उच्यते । तत्रापि सप्तैव नद्यः
Rudra dit : «À présent, le (dvīpa nommé) Krauñca devient le quatrième, d’une étendue double de celle de Kuśadvīpa ; et il est entouré d’un océan, double en mesure, portant le nom de Krauñca. On y trouve sept montagnes principales : d’abord Kauñca ; Vidyullatā ; Raivata ; Mānasa ; de même Pāvaka ; de même Andhakāra ; et de même Acchodaka. On mentionne aussi Devāvṛtta, appelé Surāpa. Puis vient Devīṣṭha, qui devient en vérité Kāñcanaśṛṅga. Au-delà de Devananda se trouve Govinda, nommé Dvivinda. Ensuite (vient) Puṇḍarīka, ainsi que Toṣāśaya. Ces sept montagnes, semblables à des joyaux, sont établies dans Krauñcadvīpa, s’élevant les unes par rapport aux autres. Là sont aussi décrites les régions (varṣas) : Kuśala-deśa ; Mādhava ; Mano’nuga de Vāmana ; Saṃvartaka ; Aṣṇavān ; Somaprakāśa ; puis Pāvaka, aussi nommé Sudarśana ; et Andhakāra, aussi nommé Saṃmoha ; puis Munideśa, et celui appelé Prakāśa ; puis Dundubhi, aussi dit Anartha. Là encore se trouvent sept rivières.»
Verse 2
गौरी कुमुद्वती चैव सन्ध्या रात्रिर्मनोजवा ख्यातिश्च पुण्डरीका च गङ्गा सप्तविधाः स्मृताः । गौरी सैव पुष्पवहा कुमुद्वती ताम्रवती रोधसन्ध्या सुखावहा च मनोजवा च क्षिप्रोदा च ख्यातिः सैव गोबहुला पुण्डरीका चित्रवेगा शेषाः क्षुद्रनद्यः ॥ क्रौञ्चद्वीपो घृतोदेनावृतः । घृतोदा शाल्मलेनेति
Gaurī, Kumudvatī, Sandhyā, Rātri, Manojavā, Khyāti, Puṇḍarīkā et Gaṅgā sont rappelées comme sept rivières. Gaurī est aussi appelée Puṣpavahā ; Kumudvatī, Tāmravatī ; Rodhasandhyā, Sukhāvahā ; Manojavā, Kṣiprodā ; Khyāti, Gobahulā ; Puṇḍarīkā, Citravegā ; les autres sont de modestes cours d’eau. Krauñcadvīpa est entouré par l’Océan de ghee (Ghṛtoda) ; et « Ghṛtoda » est associé à Śālmaladvīpa.
Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī pedagogical frame (with a manuscript attribution to Rudra as speaker), the discourse turns to Purāṇic cosmography: the ordered layout of the dvīpas as a didactic model of terrestrial stability and cosmic balance.
Krauñcadvīpa is introduced as the fourth continent, described in proportional relation (dviguṇa scaling) to Kuśadvīpa, and mapped through a systematic enumeration of its stabilizing features: seven principal jewel-like mountains, seven varṣas (sub-regions), and seven major rivers with alternate/descriptive names, plus mention of additional minor rivers.
The mapping culminates in the enclosing concentric ocean—Ghṛtodaka-samudra (ocean of clarified butter)—which completes the layered ecological-cosmographic ring structure and reinforces the theme of a regulated world-system.
Krauñcadvīpa; Kuśadvīpa (as the reference dvīpa); Ghṛtodaka-samudra (encircling ocean); mountains: Krauñca, Vidyullatā, Raivata, Mānasa, Pāvaka, Andhakāra, Devāvṛtta (with epithets such as Surāpa, Kāñcanaśṛṅga); varṣa/regional names and epithets: Kuśala-deśa, Mādhava, Vāmana-manonuga, Saṁvartaka, Toṣṇavān, Somaprakāśa, Sudarśana, Saṁmoha, Muni-deśa/Prakāśa, Dundubhi/Anartha; rivers: Gaurī, Kumudvatī, Sandhyā, Rātri, Manojavā, Khyāti, Puṇḍarīkā, Gaṅgā (and alternate designations such as Puṣpavahā, Tāmravatī, Sukhāvahā, Kṣiprodā, Gobahulā, Citravegā).
The passage primarily teaches an ordered model of Earth (Pṛthivī) through systematic geography—continents, mountains, regions, and rivers—implying that terrestrial stability depends on structured landforms and regulated waters. The instructional logic frames environmental order as a prerequisite for sustaining life and cosmic balance rather than presenting a direct social-legal injunction.
No explicit calendrical markers (tithi, nakṣatra, māsa, or seasonal timings) appear in the cited material. The content is descriptive cosmography rather than a ritual schedule.
It models balance through enumerated structures: seven principal mountains (as stabilizing features), seven varṣas (organized land divisions), and seven rivers (hydrological circulation), all enclosed by a concentric ocean. This mapping presents Earth as a regulated system in which landforms and waterways collectively maintain coherence.
No royal genealogies or human historical lineages are referenced in the cited verses. The only explicit speaker attribution in the manuscript excerpt is Rudra, while the broader work’s pedagogical frame is typically presented as Varāha instructing Pṛthivī.
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